


Among The Stars

by darkvioletcloud



Category: Homestuck, ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Genre: Alien Culture, Alternate Universe - Homestuck Fusion, Alternate Universe - Human/Troll Society (Homestuck), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Babies, Blow Jobs, Culture Shock, Cunnilingus, Dating, Domestic Fluff, Egg Laying, Eggpreg, F/M, First Kiss, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, Grubs (Homestuck), Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Human/Troll Relationship (Homestuck), Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Sex, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Multi, Non-Human Genitalia, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Oviparous Trolls (Homestuck), Oviposition, Quadrant Confusion, Retelling, Troll Anatomy, Troll Biology (Homestuck), Troll Genitalia, Troll Romance (Homestuck), Trolls (Homestuck), Trolls on Earth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-01-20 16:03:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18528418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkvioletcloud/pseuds/darkvioletcloud
Summary: A retelling of Stardust Crusaders if the Joestars were Alternian, and Jotaro is half-troll.Updates for this fic will take awhile. The chapters are pretty long and I want to make sure the writing is good. Feedback is always appreciated!Lots of ideas for this fic were inspired by input given by sentimentalPackrat. Thank you for the ideas. ♥





	1. Alternian Anthropology

**Author's Note:**

> Troll name and blood guide:
> 
> Holly - Hollie Jostar | Indigo  
> Joseph - Joseph Jostar | Indigo  
> Suzi - Suuzie Jostar | Olive  
> Lisa Lisa - Eliiza Jostar | Jade  
> Caesar - Caesar Zepeli | Gold

Hollie Jostar had heard tales of Alternia. The suffocating dark nights, the rampant violence, the constant surveillance from the imperial army… It sounded like a nightmare. And the lusii. She couldn’t imagine living without her parents.

Hollie was the indigo-blooded daughter of Joseph and Suuzie Jostar, two of the first generation of trolls to immigrate from Alternia to Earth. Her egg was laid and hatched on Earth, and she was raised to assimilate with humans. Thanks to her father’s noble blood, the family was able to secure a lovely upper class house in New York, in a part of the city where humans welcomed their new alien neighbors with open arms.

From early childhood, she knew she couldn’t play rough. She needed to control her fury and strength so as not to risk hurting anyone. From chrysalis emergence to the Earth age of seven, Hollie had to wear bubble wrap around her diamond-shaped horns. She also wore teeth guards just in case, due to the sharpness of her fangs. As she grew older, she learned to be aware of those around her and stopped needing the safeguards.

In her second year of college, Hollie studied abroad in Japan for a year, and fell in love.

She took a walk one night on her way home from the library when her attention turned to a human cowering to the mercy of three sleazy trolls, berating and harassing him. She jogged over just as one of them raised a fist. Hollie grabbed his wrist and twisted it behind his back.

“What the hell are you doing to this little guy?!” Hollie spat. She stared into the eyes of the olive-blooded assaulter.

“This little punk human spat at me, so we’re teaching him a lesson!”

Hollie frowned and shoved the olive-blood to the ground. She put herself between the assaulters and the human. “That doesn’t call for violence. He was a dick, but be the bigger person here!” Hollie said. “I won’t let you touch him.”

One of the other two rolled his eyes and motioned to his buddies. “Whatever. Let’s get out of here. It’s not worth it.” They dispersed, and Hollie turned to the human.

“Are you hurt?” She asked, holding out a hand. The human took it, and she pulled him to his feet. He was a bit shorter than she was, with dark eyes and hair to match. He had a certain coldness to his look.

“I’m fine, thank you,” the man replied. He brushed off his top.

“My name is Hollie, by the way,” she said. She held out her hand.

He didn’t shake it. “Sadao.”

“This area is kind of sketchy. Do you need someone to walk you home?” Hollie asked. “I see reports on the news a lot about humans getting mugged here, but they won’t mess with you if you’re with a highblood like me.”

“I… would appreciate that,” Sadao replied. He motioned in the direction he was going, and Hollie followed. “You’re the first monster who’s ever stuck up for me.”

“Troll.”

“Hm?”

“The technical term is Alternian, but the slang term is troll, not monster,” Hollie corrected him. “Monster is… kind of a slur.”

“Oh, oh my gosh!” He put his hands over his mouth. “I- you see, my family…!”

“It’s okay, don’t worry!” Hollie laughed. “My papa calls humans twigbones so much that I thought that was the proper name for you guys.”

Sadao kept glancing at her as they walked. “So, uh, what do you eat?”

“I really love Italian food. My parents lived in Italy for a few years before moving to New York, and my mama found a lot of recipes there that she made for me when I was a kid. My favorite food is tiramisu,” Hollie replied. “I kiiinda have a sweet tooth.”

“Really? I thought you trolls just ate raw meat,” Sadao said.

“Nope, we can eat everything you can. What about you? What’s your favorite food?” Hollie asked.

“I’ve never really thought about it, but if I had to pick, maybe tonkatsu. There’s a nice place a few blocks over, actually, and I haven’t had dinner,” Sadao said. “Have you tried it?”

“I have not, no. I’d love to,” Hollie blushed. Sadao smiled as he saw blue flush across her gray cheeks, and he lead her to the place.

A bell dinged as the two entered the restaurant. An overweight, disheveled chef grunted “Oi, grayskin! We don’t serve your kind here. Go on, git!” He made a swatting motion at the door.

Hollie stared at the man in shock, then looked at Sadao. Tears welled in her eyes and her voice broke. “I can wait outside if you still want to eat...”

“Maybe carryout? My apartment is very close. We can eat there,” Sadao suggested. Hollie nodded vigorously. “Hey, two orders of tonkatsu!”

“Get the grayskin outta my restaurant!” The chef yelled. Hollie backed away, shutting the door. She waited for about ten minutes, then Sadao came out, holding a plastic bag.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we?” Sadao asked. He lead her to his apartment and they walked inside.

His place was rather cramped. A single multipurpose room coupled with a tiny bathroom made up his apartment. Sadao set the food down on his table and sat down.

Hollie sat opposite of him and took out her utensils. “What is it the people say in this country before they eat? Um…”

“ _ Itadakimasu _ ,” Sadao said.

“ _ Idakadama _ -“ Hollie stuttered. “I can never get it right!”

“You’ve got the spirit,” Sadao laughed.

“My mama always used to say ‘ _ Zitto e mangia!’  _ It’s Italian,” Hollie replied.

“What does it mean?”

“Shut up and eat!” Hollie giggled. Her face flushed blue again, and Sadao joined in on the laughing. She took a bite of the tonkatsu. “This is great!”

Nodding, Sadao said “I’m glad you like it. I apologize for how the chef acted. I never knew he was such a bigot.”

Hollie shrugged. “I’m used to it. I have to walk two blocks if I want coffee between classes. The place on campus won’t serve me.”

“That’s unfortunate,” Sadao replied. The two chatted as they ate. Hollie learned that Sadao was in college as well, at the same place she went to, though he would be graduating this year as opposed to Hollie, who still had two more years left. He was studying jazz music and played the saxophone. She told him how she wanted to be an author, and came to Japan for a semester to take in the culture.

The clock soon struck 10 pm. “I should get going,” Hollie said.

“Oh, I thought-”

“What?”

“I was expecting that you’d stay.” Sadao got up and pulled out his futon, setting it up.

Hollie was taken aback. “I- Oh! I just-” She tucked a loose curl behind her ear. “I don’t have my pajamas.”

“Wouldn’t they get dirty when you spin your cocoon?”

“Huh?”

“I thought trolls made cocoons for themselves every night to sleep,” Sadao said.

Hollie burst into laughter. “A cocoon…! Oh Sadao, you’re funny!” She wiped a tear from her eye. “I sleep on a bed, silly! Back when I was a grub, I slept in a recuperacoon, but ever since metamorphosis, I’ve slept in a bed.”

“A recupera-what? Like a crib?”

“That’s a good comparison, yeah. Um, I’d rather go home for the night. I don’t want to impose, and I’m not  _ that  _ type of girl, you know,” Hollie said.

“I completely understand. Shall I call you a cab?”

“I’d like that.”

The cab arrived within five minutes, and they said their goodbyes. “It was nice meeting you,” Hollie smiled. She gave Sadao a kiss on the cheek. “The tonkatsu was delicious.”

“It was nice meeting you as well,” he replied. He handed her a piece of paper as she climbed into the cab. “I hope to hear from you soon.”

“Goodnight!” And thus, the cab sped off. Hollie unfolded the paper. It was the receipt from the restaurant, with Sadao’s full name, phone number, and Chumhandle on the back, along with the note “Don’t worry about paying me back.” Hollie smiled and took out her phone, inputting his information in it.

* * *

In the days since she met Sadao, she started to hang around him in their free periods. They would eat lunch together on campus, study after classes, and either go back to Hollie’s apartment or Sadao’s apartment.

They met up in the coffee shop one day. “So, are we officially in reds?” Hollie asked as she sat down with her order.

“In what?” Sadao asked.

“Red quadrant. Matesprits. I’ve felt that connection for awhile now, but I didn’t know if it was official,” she admitted. Her cheeks flushed blue - a sight Sadao grew to love.

“You mean are we dating?” Sadao asked.

Hollie nodded. “Yeah, but my culture distinguishes different types of love into quadrants, you know. Didn’t you take basic Alternian Anthropology…?”

“That’s an elective course,” Sadao said. “I didn’t think it was necessary.”

Hollie felt her heart ache. “It should be mandatory if our two species are to share this planet, no?”

“Perhaps. You learn our ways, and we learn yours. How about you give me a crash course on quadrants?” Sadao asked.

Hollie’s eyes lit up, and she gave Sadao the sweet toothy smile that he loved. “So, matespritship is traditional romance. People who are dating or married are matesprits, and some slang terms are “in reds” or “in hearts” when referring to being in that relationship. Moirailegiance is… it’s like a really strong bond. Like you want to protect them forever. Moirails calm each other.”

“So, wouldn’t we be morals rather than mate-spirits?” Sadao asked. “You calm me, and you protect me.”

“Moirails and matesprits. And no. It’s closer to human friendship rather than romance,” Hollie said. “Then there’s auspisticism, which… basically is an intervention. Mama never explained it well to me. Finally, kismesisitude is a rivalry. It may seem like the kismeses hate each other, but they’re competitive. They want to build each other up by competing.”

“We’re definitely not that.” Sadao reached out and put his hand over hers. “Can we just say that we’re dating? It’s much easier than this kiss-missy moral stuff.”

Hollie giggled. “Yeah, okay.” She leaned forward and kissed him. “I’m still counting this as filling my red quadrant.” She pulled out her phone and opened up her Pesterchum, inputting Sadao as her matesprit. He leaned over to see that there was another name listed in the moirailegiance slot.

Sadao pulled away. “What? Like- is- do you think relationships are some kind of game?”

“No, of course not!”

“Then why did you fill that like a freakin’ bingo board? Who is this person?” Sadao growled.

“That’s my moirail, Ookami. She’s in my composition class,” Hollie said.

“A-are you dating someone already?! Are you one of those  _ dykes?”  _ Sadao gasped.

“No! I told you, moirailegiance is friendship! She’s like an emotional support. I’m not cheating on you. I’m only in reds with one person and it’s you,” Hollie explained.

“I was under the impression that these quadrants simply explained what kind of relationship one was in, not that you can have multiple partners,” Sadao said. Fury burned behind his dark eyes.

“I…” Hollie looked at Ookami’s name on her phone. “I can remove her from my pale quadrant.”

“For us to continue our relationship, it would be best if you did that,” Sadao requested. “If you love me, I’d truly appreciate it.”

Hollie’s thumb hovered over the X mark next to Ookami’s name. It felt so wrong to do this, but she loved Sadao beyond quadrants. She was on Earth and dating a human. She must conform to human traditions.

She removed Ookami. “I do love you, Sadao.”

Sadao leaned over and kissed her. “I love you too.”

* * *

Hollie decided to continue her abroad studies into the next semester. She didn’t want to go back to New York without her matesprit, and thoroughly enjoyed Japan. Her mother understood and was fully supportive, while her father was a bit apprehensive about it.

“If he does anything that makes you uncomfortable, leave. If he so much as dares to harm you, I will fly over in an instant and slaughter him,” Joseph growled.

“Honey! Stop that!” Suuzie scolded him. She took the phone. “Hollie, hon, we believe you can protect yourself, but this Sadao boy seems like a really nice guy! Just remember your heat cycle and be very careful.”

“ _ Mom!”  _ Hollie said through gritted teeth. “We haven’t been  _ that  _ intimate yet.”

“What, does he think he’s too good for my baby girl?!” Joseph yelled. Suuzie shushed him.

“Do you want me to call Caesar for you?” Suuzie asked her husband. “Get you to calm down…”

“I’m fine,” Joseph grumbled.

Suuzie turned her attention back to the phone. “Are you still there?”

“Of course, Mama,” Hollie replied. “I kinda  _ don’t  _ want to be intimate with him just yet. Humans wait until they get married. Is that what you two did?”

“We got married for the tax benefits,” Joseph said.

“And because I wanted to wear a pretty dress,” Suuzie giggled. “I didn’t know that mating came after marriage.”

“That’s what Sadao said,” Hollie replied. She looked up from her spot on the couch to see Sadao waving at her to alert her that their meal was ready. “I’m sorry, it’s time for dinner. I’ll call you later. Bye bye!” She hung up the phone and sat down at the table with Sadao.

“Fall break is coming up,” she said to him. “I wanted to go to New York for a few days and visit with my parents.”

Sadao set down some plates. He made soup for himself and chicken for Hollie. “Are you asking me if I’d like to come?” He winked.

“Do you want to come? I didn’t consider asking you, but I think it’d be great if you did!” Hollie smiled. “Mom likes you so far, and Papa… well, maybe meeting him in person will turn him around.”

“He doesn’t like humans, does he?” Sadao inferred.

Hollie shrugged. “I think he’s just overprotective. He didn’t want me studying abroad at first. Plus, he was sorta apprehensive when I had my first  _ moirail,  _ but a mates- a human boyfriend? Kinda reasonable to be apprehensive.”

“He sounds like a very loving father,” Sadao replied. “I really would like to meet your parents.”

Over the course of the next few weeks, they coordinated their plans with the Jostars to visit for Thanksgiving. Hollie and Sadao found themselves being dropped off at their apartment, and entered the elevator.

“There’s a lot of trolls in the area,” Sadao noted.

“Mhm,” Hollie replied. She swayed on her heels as she waited in the elevator. It dinged, and the doors opened. The elevator let them off to an area containing a short hallway, and then a door.

“Is this the penthouse?”

“Yeah. Didn’t I tell you that Papa’s business is really successful?” Hollie asked as she rolled their luggage to the door. She knocked, and was greeted by her mother.

Suuzie nearly jumped into Hollie’s arms as she hugged her daughter. “Oooh, my little grub! I missed you so much!” She peppered Hollie with kisses, then turned to Sadao. “And you must be her little boyfriend!”

Sadao jumped in surprise when he saw Suuzie’s face. Her teeth were sharper than Hollie’s, her horns were bigger, and her left eye lacked both the iris and pupil. “Oh lord!”

Suuzie giggled. “Did I scare you, honey? I’m sorry! Come in, come in.” She ushered the couple inside.

The apartment was huge, with multiple rooms, a spacious kitchen, and windows overlooking all of New York. In the living room, three men sat on the couch. One of them was a large troll with the same star-shaped horns as Hollie. Next to him was another troll, this time with white face markings and rounded, nubby horns. On the end was a petite black man, picking at the platter of cheese on the coffee table.

Hollie ran over to them and hugged the star-horned troll. “Papa!”

“Hollie! It’s so good to see you!” The troll laughed. He squeezed her and picked her up.

She was put down and then gave the other two couch occupants hugs. “So, this is my boyfriend Sadao.” She motioned to Sadao, who was cautiously approaching her. “Sadao, this is my father.”

“A pleasure to meet’cha, son!” Joseph held out his hand, which was gloved, oddly enough. It didn’t fit the rest of his outfit.

“Likewise,” Sadao mumbled. He reluctantly shook Joseph’s hand.

“And this is Uncle Caesar,” Hollie motioned to the other troll, who stood up as well.

_ “Ciao,”  _ Caesar greeted Sadao. They shook hands. Caesar’s grip was rather tight.

“And last but not least, Uncle Smokey.”

The man on the end got up. “Nice to finally put a face to the man Joseph’s been talking about.” He shook hands with Sadao, then looked at Hollie. “You might have to change Uncle to Mayor soon.”

“Oooh you think you’re going to get the vote?” Hollie squealed. She looked at her boyfriend. “Uncle Smokey is campaigning for mayor of New York!”

“That’s a very honorable job, sir. I wish you the best,” Sadao replied. “Does your campaign have a specific focus? I’ve heard that New York has quite a few issues.” As he spoke, Joseph and Caesar went back to watching TV.

“I’m pushing for law changes that will accommodate Alternians on the same level as humans. I’m specifically advertising the need of increasing teaching Alternian customs, such as quadrants, as well as giving matespritships the same rights as marriages.” Smokey explained.

“Why not just go through with a marriage?” Sadao asked.

“Some Alternians don’t think it’s right to have to conform to human traditions,” Smokey replied. “It’s wrong to force our traditions upon them.”

Sadao rolled his eyes. “They can just go through with applying for the certificate without the whole wedding.”

“Again, forcing traditions. Our city’s history is built upon different cultures coming together. It’s only right that we respect that of Alternians,” Smokey said.

They talked for a bit before there was another knock on the door. Suuzie answered it, and in stepped a troll with sweeping black hair, green lipstick, and sleek horns. The new guest looked to be in her twenties. Hollie ran over and hugged the guest.

The guest laughed and returned the hug. “Oh, Hollie!”

“I’m just so happy to see you!”

Sadao approached them. “Are you Hollie’s sister…?”

Hollie and the guest both laughed. “I’m her  _ grandmother.  _ I’m Eliiza, but my students call me Lisa Lisa.” Lisa Lisa went to greet Joseph.

Sadao looked at Smokey, who was standing nearby. “Trolls, right? Looks so young, and yet...”

“Huh?” The man replied.

“Never mind,” Sadao mumbled.

Soon, dinner was ready, and the family sat down. Joseph sat at one head of the table, and Sadao sat at the other. Suuzie set down a large turkey, as well as some oddly colored baked… potatoes? They were green and blue and had large bulbs growing on the sides, but otherwise were shaped like spuds. Other traditional foods were set out.

_ “Zitto e mangia!  _ Enjoy!” Suuzie said. The family then helped themselves to their food.

“Hollie, what’s this?” Sadao asked as he pointed to the blue spuds. “And these.” He poked at a russet-red tube of meat. He gagged as the prongs of his fork bounced against the food.

“Oh, they’re diced azure starch tubers, and those are oblong meat products. They both go great with red grub sauce,” Hollie said.

“G-grub sauce?” Sadao’s mind flooded with thoughts of poor little troll grubs being ground up into sauce. He pushed away from the table. “I- I need to use the restroom. Where-?”

“Down the hall to your left,” Suuzie said.

Hollie got up. “Lemme show you. You look a little pale…” She ushered her boyfriend to the restroom. “Are you going to throw up?”

“What the  _ hell _ kind of food is that?!” Sadao gasped as he dry-heaved over the toilet.

“What’s wrong with it?” Hollie asked.

“Grub sauce! You- food made out of  _ babies!” _

“What? Grub sauce is like ketchup,” Hollie explained as she rubbed her boyfriend’s back. “It’s just called grub sauce because it’s basically the main ingredient in grub food, but it’s also a very viable condiment.”

“But the name…!”

“That’s like thinking that ladyfingers are actually made out of actual fingers,” Hollie said. “It’s just a name.”

Sadao looked up at her. “I just don’t know if I can eat any of that monster food,” he said. “It doesn’t look appealing.”

“Then just eat the turkey, okay? And then there’s cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie for dessert,” Hollie promised.

“The gravy was  _ green,  _ Hollie,” Sadao said as he swallowed some bile.

“I can… order some takeout for you,” Hollie mumbled. “Mama’s gonna kill me...”

“I’d like that,” Sadao said. He was ushered back into the kitchen as Hollie took out her phone, ordering him food from the Chinese fusion place down the street, remembering how much she used to love ordering from there when she was younger.

The food came quickly, and Hollie brought it over to the table. “I got you your favorite,” she said.

“What the hell is this?” Joseph asked.

“Sadao hasn’t had troll food before, so it’s a bit weird,” Hollie replied.

“Thanks, hon,” Sadao said as he took out his food.

Suuzie frowned as she looked at her beautiful spread of Thanksgiving dinner, having slaved over it for the past two days. She wanted Hollie’s new boyfriend to experience authentic Alternian cooking, and it had all gone to waste…! Olive tears welled in her eyes.

“Then he should at least  _ try  _ the food before dismissing it!” Joseph argued. “And you should have asked us before ordering something!”

Hollie backed away as her father yelled. “I-I-I… I asked him if he wanted the turkey, but he said no.”

Sadao frowned and looked up at Joseph. “Hollie is a grown woman. She can make her own decisions regarding food, and so can I.”

“This is a  _ blatant  _ insult to my matesprit’s cooking. You come into my house, invited over for dinner  _ and  _ a free room for the next few days, and yet you don’t even eat? What kind of manners do you  _ have?!”  _ Joseph pounded his hand on the table, but Caesar immediately put his hand on Joseph’s, and began to stroke his arm.

“You’re too tense,” Caesar whispered. He made a clicking noise in his throat as Joseph melted into his touch. “It’s his first time with this stuff. You can’t blame him. Remember your first time with human food?”

“Suuzie worked so hard, and it’s delicious. How could he just reject it?” Joseph asked.

“He might give it a chance. And even if he doesn’t, more for us, right?” Joseph nodded. Caesar smiled and leaned in, and gave him a kiss. “There’s my Joey.” The two smiled as they pressed their foreheads to each other.

Sadao’s jaw hung open as he witnessed the kiss between the two men. A married man… kissing another man, right in front of his mother, wife, and daughter?!

Dinner wrapped up. Sadao ended up not eating any of Suuzie’s cooking, but said he might have leftovers the next day. The guests left around 7 pm, and by that point Sadao and Hollie were exhausted from their flight, and resigned to retire to bed.

“I’m a grown woman, Papa. I can sleep in the same bed as my boyfriend,” Hollie complained. She shut the door and changed into her pajamas. “So… what do you think?”

“Your pajamas are cute,” Sadao replied as he changed as well.

Hollie climbed into bed next to him. “I mean about my family.”

“Is your father a homo?” Sadao asked.

“What?”

“He kissed that Caesar troll,” Sadao reminded her. “Another man!”

Hollie sighed. “Sadao, Uncle Caesar is my papa’s moirail. He was just comforting him.”

“They  _ kissed.  _ And they’re two men,” Sadao said.

“So?”

“He’s a homo.”

“You know how most humans are straight? Most trolls are bisexual. It’s normal. And it’s normal for us to be in relationships with others. Moirailegiance kisses are super common,” Hollie reminded him. “Didn’t I give you a book on the subject?”

“I… skimmed it,” Sadao lied. He hadn’t touched it.

Hollie sighed once more and rolled onto her back. “I really wish you read that book before we got here. You have to try some of my mom’s cooking tomorrow, okay? She looked  _ crushed.” _

“Don’t try to change the subject. Isn’t it weird for your mother to see your father kissing someone else?”

“No. She knows it’s pale love and not flushed love,” Hollie said. “Like how giving your kid a kiss on the cheek isn’t romantic. Just familial.”

“Mmh,” Sadao grumbled. “I want to go to sleep. Didn’t you want to go to the mall tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” Hollie rolled over to face him. “I love you.”

“Likewise,” Sadao replied. He shut his eyes as Hollie gave him a kiss.


	2. The Things I Do For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hollie and Sadao advance in their relationship.

“I need to be with you tonight,” Sadao breathed, pushing Hollie up against the wall of their shared apartment. It had been two years since the disastrous Thanksgiving dinner. Hollie was in her third year of college and worked part time at a grocery store while Sadao did saxophone gigs every so often.

“I thought you wanted to wait,” Hollie replied. She couldn’t help but wrap a leg around him.

“Fuck that. I need you, Hollie,” he begged. He kissed her down the neck and to the crest of her breasts. They slowly stripped, leaving the two of them in their intimates.

Sadao Kujo was not a physically impressive man. He was rather thin, with no muscle mass. Hollie could easily overpower him. She didn’t care that he was a twig. She loved him.

Sadao unclipped Hollie’s bra and kissed her blue-tinted nipples. “You’re so cute when you’re blue.” His fingertips brushed up against her grub scars. He had seen them countless times before, but the odd alien markings still made him slightly uncomfortable. Still, if he touched them, it helped Hollie get aroused.

Hollie giggled as she ran her hands through his hair. “You’re so cute all the time!” She slipped her hands down to his boxers and pulled them off, and he did the same with her panties.

Their intimates touched. Sadao shivered as he felt Hollie’s erection on him.

His eyes shot open. She, a female, had an erection.

He pulled back and looked down at her nethers. A writhing, flat tentacle danced at Hollie’s genitals. Sadao gagged. “Is- Hollie, do you have a penis?!”

“This is my bulge,” she replied, stroking the slimy appendage. “The nook is right behind it. Don’t worry.” She pulled the bulge back and hitched her leg up to reveal a blue vulva. “See?”

“But the-!” He motioned to her bulge. “What the hell is that?!”

“It’s my bulge. I literally just said it.”

“What the hell is it for?!”

Hollie sighed. “See, this is why you should’ve read that book on quadrants. It had a section explaining troll anatomy. Every troll has a bulge and a nook. Female bulges are just a glorified flap of skin that helps slick up the entrance when you’re laying eggs, and I think it produces painkilling hormones for the egg-laying process? It’s drastically different from a male bulge.” She went into an explanation of how male bulges deposit genetic material into a female nook, and said how male nooks are largely a vestigial hole in the body, with its only function being a way to arouse a male.

Sadao pulled his boxers back on.

“What are you doing?” Hollie asked.

“I can’t… This is too much for me. Your penis-! I wish you told me early on. This is  _ deception,  _ Hollie,” Sadao said.

“I told you to read the book…” Hollie’s voice broke as she spoke.

“I can’t be with you if you have  _ that,” _ Sadao gagged as he pulled on his clothes.

“Sadao…” Hollie began to weep quietly. She pulled on her intimates and ran to the other room, closing the door behind her.

Hollie ended up sleeping on the couch in her day clothes. She tossed and turned, feeling every acute movement of her bulge.

At two in the morning, she opened her phone.  _ Can trolls remove their bulges?  _ A quick search brought up a list of surgeons in the area that offered genital removal, and troll bulges were on the list. The procedure was a significant amount of money, but the emergency allowance her father gave her for living abroad would more than cover it.

_ Risks of removing an Alternian female’s bulge include low sex drives, lower abdomen pain during sex, and difficulty in passing eggs. Bulges can be removed for cosmetic reasons, but it is discouraged due to the lack of benefits beyond aesthetic purposes. _

Sadao didn’t like her bulge. That’s an aesthetic purpose. It was more than enough of a reason to go through with the surgery.

Over the course of the next few days, she booked an appointment.

Hollie found herself lying in a hospital bed before surgery three weeks later, looking up at Sadao. “Do you think this is a good idea?”

“Yes,” Sadao replied, giving her a kiss. “This is what you want, isn’t it?”

Hollie nodded. “I love you. I’d do anything for you,” she said. Soon, she was wheeled in to the operating room.

* * *

“The doctor said to wait six weeks,” Hollie reminded Sadao. They laid on their shared bed, stripped down to their intimates. “It’s only been a month.”

“You’re fine. I can’t even see the stitching,” Sadao said as he kissed her neck. He slipped off his boxers. “C’mon, show me the goods.”

Hollie took off her bra and panties, showing him her bulgeless crotch. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful,” Sadao replied. He kissed her belly, then upper pubic area, before settling his head on her thighs. “Sit on my face.”

“Huh?”

Sadao flicked his tongue out, and Hollie giggled. They arranged themselves so that he was lying back on the bed, and she was positioned so that her nook was above his mouth. She lowered herself down slowly, biting her lip. She shivered and laughed as Sadao licked a stripe up her nook flaps. “Oh honey!”

“You taste like it,” Sadao replied. He darted his tongue in and out, trying to find the equivalent of her clit. Hollie clamped her thighs around Sadao as he sent chills up her spine.

“Oh Sadao!” She cried out, rocking herself on his face.

“My Hollie…” His voice was muffled as he continued licking her. He hit a spot that made her cry out.

“Oh  _ fuck!”  _ Hollie squealed.

Sadao smirked and continued to hit the same spot, even giving it a bite, but the bite sent her over the edge. Hollie threw herself off of him and her hands shot down to her crotch. She held the area and groaned.

“Wh-What’s wrong?” Sadao asked.

“I- Did-? I think you hit the stitches,” she gasped. Hollie laid down on her back and spread her legs, and Sadao inspected her.

“The skin isn’t broken,” he replied.

“It’s still tender,” Hollie said. She clamped her legs together and rolled to her side.

“Is it my turn now?” Sadao teased his girlfriend.

“It hurts,” Hollie groaned. She pulled the covers over her. “I want to go to bed.”

“Just a quickie?”

“I’m not in the mood.”

“Come on, if I gave you head, then you should give it to me,” Sadao said. Hollie sat up and nodded.

“I’ll be quick,” Hollie said. She rested herself between his legs and gave his erect member an experimental lick, then opened her mouth. Sadao was faced with the sight of rows of pointed teeth next to his member. Hollie curled her upper lip around her front teeth and took his cock in her mouth.

“There it goes…” Sadao mumbled. He ran his hands through Hollie’s thick hair. “There you go. C’mon, go deeper.” He pushed her head down, but she gagged and pulled herself off. On her way out, a tooth scraped against his member.  _ “Fuck!” _

“Oh no, did I-?”

“Fuck me,” Sadao groaned. “I think we’re done.” He pulled the covers over himself and patted the spot next to him.

“Did I hurt you?” Hollie asked as she snuggled up next to her boyfriend.

“It stung,” he confirmed.

She gave him a kiss. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s those damn teeth. They’re so sharp,” he hissed. He rolled over, facing away from her.

“Good night…”

 

Sadao awoke the next morning to an empty bed. He got up and grabbed clothes to take a shower, and found Hollie in the bathroom. “Good morning.”

Hollie turned to face Sadao and smiled. “Hi.”

Something seemed off with her smile.

Hollie’s teeth had been filed down sloppily.

“What do you think?”

“You look gorgeous,” Sadao replied, giving her a kiss.

* * *

“Hollie Jostar, will you marry me?”

The summer after Hollie graduated college, Sadao proposed. She said yes, and they scheduled their wedding for mid autumn.

Hollie adjusted her hair in the mirror as she stood in the back room of the church. Her mother and Sadao’s mother both assured her that she looked fine.

“He’s very picky, Mama,” Hollie explained. She licked her finger and tried pulling a loose cowlick to fit with the rest of her hair.

“You look so cute with it, though,” Suuzie replied. She flipped Hollie’s veil over. “Oh, my baby girl…!”

Hollie looked over at Sadao’s mother. “What do you think?”

Mrs Kujo scanned Hollie up and down. “I couldn’t ask for a better daughter-in-law. You look beautiful.” At first, Mr and Mrs Kujo were apprehensive about their son marrying a troll, but warmed up to Hollie as time went on. By the wedding day, they were smitten with her.

Joseph popped in the room. “It’s almost ti-” He stopped as he saw Hollie and a tear rolled down his cheek. “You look like an angel.”

Hollie rolled her eyes. “You’re so embarrassing, Papa.” She waved goodbye to Suuzie and Mrs Kujo, and linked her arm with her father. They stepped into the main hall of the church, and the organ music started.

Hollie’s heels clicked against the hardwood floor as Joseph walked her down to Sadao and the waiting priest. She couldn’t contain her giggling as she stood in front of Sadao, and he lifted the veil.

The cowlick came loose, springing up as the veil dislodged it. Sadao grunted “Hmph.” without breaking a smile.

_ He must be nervous,  _ Hollie assumed. They turned their attention to the priest, who began the ceremony.

“The bride has written her own vows, and will now present them to the groom.” The priest said after his speech.

Hollie took a deep breath. “I promise to be with you throughout your entire life. I dedicate my life to you. You are my everything, and that’s what it means to be a matesprit.”

Sadao frowned as the last word was spoken. “Wife,” he muttered under his breath.

“And wife, too,” Hollie corrected herself. She blushed a bright blue and forced a smile.

They said their I Do’s, and kissed.

The reception was calm and small, and soon it was time to cut the cake. Sadao picked up a piece of cake with his fork and held it out to Hollie, and she ate it. She winced as she chewed. She still experienced minor pain from filing down her teeth.

“There’s some frosting right here,” he mumbled, and gave her a kiss on the lips.

“You dork,” Hollie laughed. She got a piece for him and held it out. As he tried to take a bite, she pulled the fork away playfully. She held it up to him again, and then pulled it away, giggling like a child. Sadao frowned. She held the piece out to him again, and he grabbed her wrist before she could pull away. He ate the piece, then swatted her hand away.

“Good grief,” Sadao grumbled.

“I- I was just…” Hollie’s voice trailed off, and she looked away.

* * *

A few years after the wedding, Hollie announced to Sadao that she was heavy with eggs.

“Well, one egg,” she corrected herself. She patted her belly, which already had a bit of a bump.

“Oh. When will it come out? Do we need to get some biohazard disposal materials for it, or can we just throw it out?” Sadao asked.

“Throw it out?! That’s our baby in there!”

“Wh-?”

“Honey, do you know how babies are made?” Hollie asked. “I carry the egg for three months, lay the egg, and then the baby takes another two months to grow before hatching.”

“But… you’re a troll, and I’m a human!” Sadao sputtered.

“Trolls have adaptable DNA. We can interbreed with humans. Do… do you not want a baby?” Hollie asked.

“No no, I just- I didn’t realize that we could even  _ have  _ one.” Sadao knelt down and put his hands on Hollie’s belly. “This is a miracle…! I’m going to be a father!”

Hollie smiled and patted Sadao’s head. “We don’t have as much time to prepare as human couples do, you know. I think I’m three weeks along, and I know I’ll be in a lot of pain for the last month. I think we should do some planning.”

“You spend a third of your pregnancy in pain?” Sadao asked.

“That’s what my mother said. But she said the egg-laying is actually super smooth and quick. I heard human labor is a nightmare,” Hollie sighed.

They spent the rest of the evening talking about their plans for the baby. Their home office was to be converted into a nursery, and they’d go out the next day for supplies. Documentation of troll/human reproduction was already quite extensive by the time Hollie was a teenager, and thus the couple knew that their child would start out as a troll grub before metamorphosing into a half-troll hybrid child.

“And that leaves us to the egg-laying,” Sadao said. “Do we go to a hospital for that?”

“We don’t need to. It’s virtually unheard of for a troll to be egg-bound,” Hollie replied. “I heard that a lot of gals just lay their eggs in an ablution trap - sorry, bathtub - or even a bucket. The egg has to bind itself to something.”

“Bind itself?”

“There’s binding goop that comes out with the egg that solidifies around it. It locks it in place and transfers nutrients,” Hollie explained. She patted her tummy. “The goop is what cushions the egg right now.”

“So, like amniotic fluid?”

“Yeah.” Hollie cuddled up next to her husband. “We’re going to be parents.”

Sadao nodded and laid his hand on her belly. “I never thought this would happen.” He tilted her head to face him and gave her a kiss. “I love you, Hollie.”

“I love you too, Sadao,” Hollie replied.

* * *

“Just breathe with me,” Sadao said. He held Hollie’s hand as she sat naked in the empty bathtub. She was cushioned with a pillow as she laid back, trying to expel the egg.

“Mama said it only takes an hour,” Hollie groaned. It had already been three hours since she felt the egg drop.

Sadao took a peek at a book on troll reproduction. Hollie bought the book for him so that he could learn about the egg process as well as the first few stages of a troll’s life. “It says that you should… use your bulge to slick up the cloaca.”

“But I don’t have a bulge,” Hollie said. “Remember? I had the surgery back when we were dating.”

Sadao bit his lip and looked around. He opened the sink cabinet and grabbed a container of Vaseline, and coated it on his pointer, middle, and ring fingers. “What about this?” He pressed his fingers to her entrance and coated the inside with the petroleum jelly.

Hollie shuddered and leaned into the touch. “Okay okay okay okay okay okay.” She hissed as she felt something shift inside of her. “Maybe a little more.”

Sadao reapplied the jelly and gave Hollie a second coating, then moved to peek inside the tub. “Excuse my manners, but I just want to see.” He saw a mass of grey and black pushing its way through Hollie’s indigo nook. “It’s almost here.” He applied more jelly, pushing his fingers deeper into Hollie. He struck a spot that made her squeak and chirp, and the egg slipped out of her, along with a pile of indigo slime.

Hollie took a second to catch her breath. “Alright… okay…”

“Where should we put it?” Sadao asked.

“Leave it. I’m going to shower,” Hollie said. She got up and nearly fell over as she exited the tub.

“Are you okay?” Sadao asked. He watched as his wife entered their separate standing shower.

“I need some time to myself. Go get me some clothes, please,” Hollie requested as she turned the water on. Sadao nodded and left the bathroom. He collected a comfortable pair of pants, a sweatshirt, and undergarments, knowing his wife would want something loose. He sat outside the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes passed. Sadao heard the water stop, and knocked on the door. “Hollie?”

“Come in.”

He entered the bathroom to see his wife drying off, and handed her the clothes. “Are you okay?”

“I will be,” she muttered. “I’m just tired.” She held his hand and looked back at the egg. “We’re going to be parents…!” Though exhausted, her eyes sparkled with love and energy.

* * *

 

“The egg!” Hollie called out one morning a few months later. Sadao ran to the bathroom.

“Wha-? What’s going on?” He threw himself out of bed and ran to their bathroom. Since the laying of the egg, they had to use the standing shower instead of bathing in the tub. It was worth it, though.

“The baby is hatching!” Hollie said. She was kneeling in front of the bathtub as cracks started to form on the eggshell. Sadao sat as well, and the two watched in awe as a wriggling shape pushed against the hard outer shell. Blue-white liquid seeped out of the holes as a pair of indigo eyes flashed at them. “Ooh, there it is!”

“Wow,” Sadao breathed as the grub’s weight toppled the side of the egg. A soft-bodied creature about the size of a housecat tumbled out of the egg. Its chubby face, occupied by two large eyes and a mouth with a few fangs already, was a gray-peach tone. Its black hair hid two nubby candy corn-colored horns.

Hollie picked up the grub and instinctually licked some of the fluid that was stuck to its face. Sadao gagged, but didn’t question it.

“So, is it a boy or a girl?” Sadao asked.

“We won’t know until it pupates,” Hollie replied. She cooed and made chirrupping sounds in her throat, causing the baby grub to trill back.

“Can we name them now?” Sadao asked.

“It’s tradition to wait until they pupate. Just in case of a casualty…” Hollie replied. “Back on Alternia, apparently they wait until the young are six sweeps old. That’d be the equivalent to thirteen years.”

The bathtub was scrubbed of the egg remains, and the baby grew into a healthy grub. The child needed to be watched at all times, and would usually be strapped into a harness on Hollie’s chest. They ate constantly, to the point where Sadao thought they were getting obese.

“No, baby grubs just need energy so they can pupate,” Hollie promised. “And judging by the little guy’s size, they’ll spin the cocoon any day now!

“Really? But he’s only, what, six months old now?”

“And it’ll be another six months to pupate,” Hollie reminded her husband.

She was right in her prediction. The grub spun its cocoon that night, next to the heater. It was a surprise for the both of them the next morning, and Hollie decorated the area around the cocoon with little toys, blankets, and flowers.

* * *

 

Another six months passed. Sadao and Hollie came home from a shopping trip to hear scratching noises near the heater. They walked over to see the white strings of the flaky cocoon falling off. Hollie dropped her bags and knelt down in front of the cocoon.

“Sadao, the baby!” She cried. “Oooh, the baby…!”

Sadao held his wife as they watched the cocoon be torn away. It took over the course of an hour for a nude toddler with dull fair skin and nubby horns to tumble out, into its mother’s arms.

“Ooh, my baby…” Hollie cried, hugging the child. Unlike with the hatching, no fluids emerged from the cocoon. She looked up at Sadao. “It’s a boy.”

“How can you tell?” Sadao asked.

Hollie rolled her eyes. “He’s very human, dear. Only troll parts about him are his fangs, horns, sclera, and claws,” she said. Sadao tilted the boy’s body and saw a hint of male genitalia.

“Can we name him now? I’m kinda sick of calling him The Baby,” Sadao chuckled.

“Remember the six letter rule,” Hollie replied. “It’s tradition. My papa wanted to name me H-O-L-L-Y but my momma wanted it to follow traditional Alternian naming, so they changed the Y to an I-E.”

Sadao counted on his fingers. “What about Jotaro?”

“Aww, that’s a cute name,” Hollie nuzzled the baby. “Jotaro.” She gave her son a kiss on the forehead. Jotaro lifted a chubby hand and reached for Sadao, who took the child’s hand.

“Hey,” Sadao whispered. “I’m your daddy. Do you remember me?” Jotaro’s eyes shimmered as he smiled at his father.

Hollie giggled and gave the child a light squeeze. “So cute…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always appreciated! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this fic!


	3. His Humanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sadao struggles with parenting Jotaro, and Hollie has another egg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bubbles' name is from [Plush Dolphin](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18160448) by sentimentalPackrat. Please read that fic if you like cute child Jotaro fluff!

As Jotaro grew into a young child, Sadao was frightened by the troll aspects of him. Firstly, the grub scars, as Hollie called them. The indigo lines by his rib cage were a frightening reminder of his troll background. He had seen Hollie’s grub scars before, and just accepted them as a thing, but seeing them on a child with a more human appearance unnerved him.

The fangs, sharp teeth, and yellow sclera were another reminder. Sadao was afraid that Jotaro would nip or scratch him. The kid didn’t know his own strength. He asked Hollie to cut Jotaro’s nails, and the parents took the boy out to get a mouth guard for his fangs. Hollie reminisced on when she had a mouth guard.

“I hated it,” she giggled, remembering how much she fussed as a child. “Mama never told me  _ why  _ I had to wear it. Only that I  _ had  _ to,” she had said during the fitting.

Finally, the horns. Jotaro’s horns were small nubs, poking above his hair. They were about two inches in height and curved slightly towards each other. Sadao encouraged Jotaro to wear a hat, wanting the boy to hide the horns. Sadao was disgusted when Hollie groomed Jotaro, chewing on the horns to remove the dead and broken keratin and bone.

“Can’t you use a file?” Sadao asked.

“It’s easier and more accurate to use my fangs,” Hollie replied. “Besides, it’s calming when I hug him. Isn’t that right, honey?” Jotaro nodded wordlessly.

Sadao had no idea which behavior was abnormal for the child. Jotaro never wanted to be hugged by his father, preferring his mother’s arms instead. He’d flap his hands and rock on his feet whenever he was excited, but rarely ever explain why he was excited.

“He’s seven, dear,” Hollie said. “He’s still figuring out the world.”

The worst was when Jotaro squealed and chirped whenever he saw something he really,  _ really  _ liked. It usually involved whenever the TV was flipped to a sumo fight, or to something involving the ocean. Dolphins really got the kid going.

“Is this normal troll stuff?” Sadao asked one day as Jotaro plopped himself down in front of the TV to watch a nature documentary on antarctic seals.

“What, being interested in something? I’m sure all kids are like this,” Hollie giggled. “Jotaro, hon, do you want a snack?”

Jotaro nodded without turning his head.

“Popcorn? Ice cream?”

“Both!”

“Alrightie,” Hollie replied.

Sadao stopped her from going to the kitchen. “You’re spoiling him with giving him both.”

“I’m only giving him a bit of each. Besides, I want popcorn too,” Hollie said. She went to the kitchen to prepare the snacks while Sadao sat down next to Jotaro.

“Wanna sit on Daddy’s lap?” Sadao asked.

“I wanna sit on Mama’s,” Jotaro replied as he kept his eyes glued to the screen.

“Come on, just for a second,” Sadao said. He patted his son on the shoulder gently, which caused Jotaro to screech and back away. “Jotaro…?”

_ “Don’t touch me!”  _ Jotaro growled.

Hollie ran over, holding the popcorn. “What’s going on?”

“I just patted him-!” Sadao said.

“Jotaro, apologize to Daddy,” Hollie said. Jotaro looked at his father, then mumbled a sound only slightly resembling “Sorry.” Hollie patted him on the back and sat down next to him on the floor, and Jotaro scrambled into her lap. She let out a soft  _ “Oof”  _ as he sat down.

“Can you… sit on Daddy’s lap today?” Hollie asked, groaning. “You’re getting heavy.”

“Don’t like it…” Jotaro mumbled, eating a piece of popcorn. Hollie looked over at her husband and shrugged.

They watched the documentary until a particularly terrifying scene of an orca whale trying to eat a seal. Sadao shut the TV off. “That’s not appropriate for you.”

_ “No!”  _ Jotaro yelled. He swatted at his father to grab the remote. “I wanna see!”

“It’s not for a child your age, Jotaro,” Sadao said, trying to push his son away. “It’s inappropriate!”

“Sadao, dear, if he thinks he can handle it…” Hollie said.

“Please, Daddy!” Jotaro reached up and swatted his hand down Sadao’s face, and a claw scraped a slight cut into his father’s cheek. Jotaro gasped.

Sadao pushed Jotaro away, clasping his other hand on his cheek.  _ “Damn it, that stings!”  _ His son was thrown back and fell onto the ground. Hollie gasped and scooped up her son.

“Oh, baby, are you okay?” Hollie cooed, chirruping some troll calls in the back of her throat.

_ “Damn it, Hollie! He cut me!” _ Sadao yelled. The cut was red with a bit of blood. Jotaro saw the sight and screamed, hugging his mother.

“Mama, Mama! I- I didn’t-!” Jotaro sputtered. He sobbed, pressing his face to his mother’s breast, into the soft fabric of her sweater. “I didn’t mean to!”

Hollie bared her fangs unconsciously at Sadao. “Do  _ not  _ raise your voice at our son!” She hissed. Her eyes folded to snakelike slits, and Sadao backed away.

“H-He cut me!” Sadao yelped.

“He is a  _ child _ and he made a  _ mistake,”  _ Hollie barked, patting Jotaro’s head. “You are an  _ adult!  _ The first aid kit is in the bathroom. Go fix yourself up!” She swatted at him, and he scurried away at the sight of her claws.

Sadao ran to the bathroom and washed his face. The bleeding had stopped, leaving a thin line. He got out some antibiotics and rubbed it on the wound, then bandaged it up. He sighed heavily as he washed the blood from his hands. His own son…

Hollie escorted Jotaro to bed, helping him pick out pajamas. “This is why we need to trim your claws,” she said. “Trolls have sharp nails, and humans can get very hurt if a troll scratches them.”

“B-But I’m human…” Jotaro said as he changed into his pajama pants. They were patterned with anchors and buoys, given to him by his aunt. Sadao’s sister, Sayuri, had given it to her nephew after a shopping trip. Jotaro had told his aunt all about his love of the ocean, and when Sayuri went to the store one day and found a matching anchor pajama top and the pants to match, she knew her nephew would  _ love  _ it! It was his favorite pair of pajamas, to the point where Jotaro refused to sleep in anything else. He said it was “just right” for him. Hollie made sure to wash it every day. Sadao said she was spoiling him, but Hollie said she didn’t mind doing it. If it meant Jotaro would sleep soundly and not crawl into their bed as he so often did, then she’d let him wear the same pajamas.

“You’re still part troll,” Hollie replied, tucking one of his black locks behind his ear. She brushed her finger pads on one of his horns, causing him to break a smile. “You’re stronger than other humans because of your Alternian blood. You’re also more dangerous. That’s why you need to wear the mouth guard to school, even though you hate it.”

Jotaro nodded, tucking his chin to his chest. His chubby cheeks flushed blue with frustration. “I didn’t mean to hurt Daddy, an’ now he’s angry…”

“He’s just shocked,” Hollie promised. “It hurts when someone scratches you, especially out of nowhere. He was just surprised and hurt. He’s not angry.”

“You promise?” Jotaro asked. Hollie nodded, and the boy waddled out of the bedroom. He ran up to his father and pulled on Sadao’s pant leg. “Daddy, I’m so-”

Sadao pushed him away with his leg. “Don’t to-” He stopped as he saw his wife glare at him. He sighed and bent down, holding his arms out for a hug. “What is it, kiddo?”

“I’m sorry,” Jotaro replied. He hugged his father and gave him a big squeeze.

Sadao huffed and broke out of the hug. “Damn, kid, you… you could’ve crushed me.”

* * *

“Guess what?” Hollie asked Jotaro one day. She and Sadao sat their son down on the couch. Hollie kept her hands folded together across her belly.

Jotaro shrugged as he clutched his favorite dolphin plushie, Bubbles. The toy was a gift from Joseph and Suuzie for his birthday. They couldn’t fly into Japan due to the Alternian traveling ban that was implemented after a troll’s outburst at an airport. In lieu of visiting their daughter, the Jostars sent gifts. Sadao said it was too childish, but Hollie reminded him that the boy was seven years old.

“Well, you’re going to be a big brother,” Hollie said. “I’m going to be laying an egg in a few weeks, and then that egg has to wait for a little, and then your little brother or sister will hatch from it.”

Jotaro’s eyes flickered from Hollie’s belly to her face. “Like a chicken?”

Hollie burst into giggles. “Yeah, like a chicken!” She patted the spot next to her on the couch, and Jotaro climbed up to sit between his parents. Jotaro reached out his hand and felt the hard lump in his mother’s abdomen. “See, Jotaro, you know I’m a bit different from your friends’ Mamas, right?”

“You’re a mom-ster,” Jotaro nodded.

Hollie sighed. “That’s a bad word.”

“Mom-ster. Mama monster,” Jotaro insisted.

“Monster is a bad word,” Hollie said. “The right word is either Troll or Alternian. And do you know what Daddy is?”

“Daddy’s a musician,” Jotaro replied.

Both parents chuckled at that. Sadao patted his son on the back. “I’m a human. And a musician, but we’re talking about our species, not job.”

“Well, what’s Mama’s job?” Jotaro asked.

“I write books,” Hollie said.

“Can I read ‘em?” Jotaro asked.

“Later, dear. There’s some things you have to understand first,” Hollie sighed. She massaged Jotaro’s back. “So, human mamas have babies different than troll mamas. Do you remember what they said on the dolphin documentary? About how they have babies and how it’s different from sharks?”

Jotaro cleared his throat. “Dolphins are marine mammals and they give live birth. Some sharks are  _ oviviporpoise- _ ”

“Oviparous,” Hollie corrected him.

“ _ Orvitprovise,  _ which means they lay eggs. Others are  _ vivapurpose- _ ”

“Viviparous,” Hollie said.

“Mhm, which means they have babies like… alive and stuff,” Jotaro nodded. “Like dolphins.”

“So, humans are like dolphins. The babies develop all inside the mama, but with trolls, the mamas lay the egg,” Hollie explained. “With families where the mama is a troll and the daddy is a human, the mamas still lay eggs.”

“What if the mama is a human and the daddy is a troll?” Jotaro asked.

“They can’t have babies,” Hollie replied. “Trolls have to be in an egg. Human mamas can’t make the eggs, so…”

Jotaro paused, then nodded. He put his ear against Hollie’s stomach. “I’m gonna be a big brother.”

“Yup,” Hollie said.

Sadao patted his son’s back. “You hoping for a brother or a sister?”

Jotaro shrugged. “I dunno.”

“Any preferences?” Sadao asked.

“Not really,” Jotaro replied as he tried to feel for the egg. “Is it a soft egg like a shark pouch, or hard like a turtle?”

“Like a turtle,” Hollie said.

* * *

The house was abuzz with excitement in the weeks leading up to the egg drop. Jotaro’s old recuperacoon was pulled out of storage, and the guest room was converted to the baby’s room.

“Sadao, look, I think this’d be better than me using the ablution trap,” Hollie said, showing him her phone. She showed him a video of a troll using a kiddie stepstool to prop herself up to lay an egg.

“Hollie, don’t just show me that! It’s gross!” Sadao groaned, pushing her phone away.

“Just look at the set up, dear. If we use tarp, it’ll be an easier clean-up than having to scrub out the tub. The bonding slurry is like cement,” Hollie sighed. She grimaced as she felt the egg shift inside of her. “We really need to make a decision now. It’s going to come any day now.”

“Let’s just use the tub, dear. We don’t need to buy something we’ll only use once,” Sadao said.

“Sadao, Jotaro doesn’t like using the standing shower, and I am  _ not _ keen on trying to fight with him for two months over showering there,” Hollie sighed.

“Do we  _ really  _ need this?” Sadao asked.

“Yes! I was  _ so  _ uncomfortable when I laid Jotaro’s egg, and I don’t want to do it again!” Hollie said. “Please. And- and it’d be nice to take a bath after laying the egg.”

“Fine. Fine, go out and- go buy the stuff,” Sadao groaned. He ran a hand through his hair, then turned as he saw Jotaro run into the guest room. “Hey! What are you doing?” Both parents got up and followed Jotaro into the room.

Almost all of Jotaro’s plush toys were on the bed, along with a pile of twigs on the ground. His baseball set sat next to the nightstand, and some of his books were stacked haphazardly on the bookshelf. “Surprise!”

“What the hell is this…?” Sadao asked.

“I made a nest for the egg!” Jotaro cheered. “An’ I… I’m… I’m gonna give my toys to the baby.”

“All of your toys? Even Bubbles?” Hollie asked as Sadao picked up the twigs.

“The egg doesn’t need a nest, Jotaro,” Sadao said.

“Bubbles isn’t a toy, Mama! Bubbles is my friend,” Jotaro argued. “She’s mine.”

Hollie sat down next to him. “Well, it’s very mature of you to give the baby your toys. I’m proud of you.”

* * *

“Mama can’t play with you right now,” Sadao said to Jotaro. He held a tub of Vaseline and a bottle of water. Hollie was showing the first signs of the egg dropping, and had moved to the guest room to prepare for the laying.

“Why?” Jotaro asked. He held Bubbles in his arms, along with a plastic fake cooking set. “We were gonna make paella.”

“What the hell’s paella?”

Jotaro shrugged. “I ‘unno! It was on that cooking show,” Jotaro said. Both of them jumped as they heard Hollie’s moaning. Sadao opened the door to see Hollie already kneeling on her hands and knees, propping her chest up on the child’s step stool. She had covered herself with a blanket and waved weakly to them.

“Go to your room, Jotaro,” Sadao said. “This isn’t something for you to see.”

“I saw turtles and sharks and penguins laying eggs. I can help!” Jotaro said.

“Not right now,” Sadao said. “Go to your room. Or you can watch TV. Just leave us alone.”

“Can Bubbles and I have snacks?”

“Bubbles is a toy,” Sadao sighed. “Fine, whatever, go have snacks. Just leave us alone!”

Jotaro squeaked and ran to the living room, leaving Sadao to join his wife.

“G-Get me the… the Vaseline,” Hollie groaned. “This egg’s a big one.”

Sadao patted Hollie on the back before he started helping her. “This… is a much better setup than the bathtub. Better… viewing angle. So I can help.”

“Told you,” she smiled weakly.

It took an hour for the egg to pass. Hollie thanked the kneeling position rather than sitting in the tub, saying she was more relaxed. Sadao escorted her to the bathroom, where she went to take a bath. When he came out, he saw Jotaro lurking around the door.

“What are you doing?” Sadao asked as Jotaro opened the door to the guest room.

“I wanna see the grub,” Jotaro said. He held Bubbles in one arm and a plate of plastic food. “I made paella for the baby.”

“Jotaro, that’s a plate of decorative grapes and plastic meat. I don’t think that’s what paella is,” Sadao said.

“Show him the egg!” Hollie called out from the bathroom. Sadao showed Jotaro to the guest room. The indigo egg was cementing itself to the tarp as the bonding slurry adjusted to the outside air and temperate.

“Don’t touch it,” Sadao said. “You can look, but you can’t touch.”

“How long’s the incubation period?” Jotaro asked as he sat down right on the edge of the tarp.

“The what?”

“When’s my little bro gonna hatch?” Jotaro asked. His eyes were wide with curiosity.

“In about two months,” Sadao replied. “Until then, don’t mess with the egg.”

“Okay.”

* * *

Jotaro tried to keep on his best behavior as he started his first day of second grade. It had been a month since the egg was laid, and he was excited to be a big brother. He wanted to be a role model for his sibling.

The school he was enrolled in was an expensive private school, only opening its doors to troll students that year. He had gone to public school for pre school, kindergarten, and first grade, but once Sadao learned of the private school letting trolls in, he wanted to transfer Jotaro.

He stood at the second grade door, holding his backpack straps and looking straight ahead. His yellow cap hid his horns, and from any onlooker, he seemed human at first. Jotaro noticed that there were a few other trolls, but they were by the other doors for the higher grade levels. He seemed to be the only person who was even  _ part  _ Alternian.

The bell rang, and the doors were open to let the kids in. Jotaro took a deep breath and trudged into class.

The classroom was decorated with cute posters and construction paper cut outs. In the corner sat a reading nook with bean bag chairs and a couple of bookshelves. Each desk had a box of supplies and a name tag. Jotaro found his tag, at a desk in the far back of the class. He put his backpack in his cubby and sat down at his desk.

The teacher introduced herself, then went into announcements. “This year, the school has allowed Alternian children to enroll, and we have a student who is half-Alternian. Jotaro, would you like to introduce yourself?” The teacher locked eyes with the boy.

Jotaro sat up and fiddled with his hands. “U-Um… my name is Jotaro Kujo, an’ I like the ocean and sumo wrestling an’ nature  _ ‘documetaties’ _ .”

“What’s your family like?” The teacher asked.

“I have a mama and a daddy, an’ my mama laid an egg and-”

_ “She laid an egg?”  _ A student laughed.

“Just like a chicken!” Another joined in, making bawking noises.

“How gross! Monsters are weird!”

Jotaro’s cheeks went bright blue. “She’s not a chicken! She’s my mama!” The teacher didn’t bother settling the children down, instead opting to wait it out. The ridicule went on for awhile, causing Jotaro to sink in his seat and cry.

Class introductions were strained. The students were to pair up in groups of four to meet each other, but when Jotaro sat down in his group, the other three backed away from him.

“Why aren’t you gray?” One kid asked.

“My Daddy is human,” Jotaro mumbled, frowning.

“Do you really eat babies?” Another probed. “Your mama probably put a bunch’a meat in your lunch!”

“Baby eater!” The third squealed. “Did your mama make an omelet outta the egg she pooped?”

“ _ My  _ mama said monsters make sauce outta their babies!” The second one said. “It’s called grub sauce, an’ it goes on everything!”

“That’s not true!” Jotaro yelled. “We don’t eat babies and grub sauce is made from veggies!”

The teacher barked at Jotaro from across the room, while the other students continued heckling him.

Snack time was miserable. Nobody wanted to eat with him. Hollie had packed Jotaro two packets of fruit snacks, saying to share one with a new friend. Nobody even wanted to go  _ near  _ him.

“It’s made outta babies,” someone whispered.

“I heard that they sleep in a hive like bees. What if Jotaro’s got a stinger?”

“I’m allergic! Get him away from me!”

Jotaro ended up not eating either snack.

Recess was the worst part of the day. A few children backed Jotaro against the wall, taunting him and trying to psych him up. He didn’t remember much of what followed, beyond hissing at the students, being thrown onto the ground in a chokehold, then biting a student’s arm.

Sadao had to pick up Jotaro from school early. Jotaro was given suspension for assaulting another student, allegedly severing an artery. Jotaro  _ insisted  _ that he didn’t mean to, that it was in self defense, that his teeth weren’t sharp enough…!

The ride home was miserable as Sadao kept glancing back in the rear view window at his son. The boy’s eyes were puffy with tears, and his fangs poked out from his mouth.

His son was dangerous.

When they arrived home, Hollie had just come back from shopping to see Jotaro sitting in the corner. Sadao was practicing his saxophone, trying out a new solo he had written. Neither Kujo looked up from what they were doing.

“Jotaro bit a kid at school,” Sadao said, keeping his eyes on the sheet music.

_ “What?!”  _ Hollie hissed. Sadao jumped in his seat.

“I d-didn’t mean to…” Jotaro cried. Hollie knelt down beside him. “H-he hit me and choked me…”

“And you bit him?” Hollie asked. Jotaro nodded and climbed into his mother’s arms. “You can’t bite people, Jotaro. Especially not humans. They’re not as strong as we are, but the police and your teachers will always blame you, even if the human hurt you first.”

“B-But I’m human too,” Jotaro whimpered.

Hollie purred in her throat. “I know, dear. But they’ll see your horns and your claws and your eyes and they’ll just see you as another troll. Doesn’t matter that Daddy is human…”

“I didn’t mean to hurt the guy at school, Mama,” Jotaro promised.

“I believe you, dear. But… if someone is bullying you…” Hollie took a deep breath. “You’ll just have to let it happen. Don’t fight back unless they’re about to  _ really  _ hurt you. I’m talking about if they have a knife.”

“I don’t wanna get hurt,” Jotaro whimpered. He nuzzled his mother and whined.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Hollie said. She rocked him back and forth. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

* * *

Jotaro tried to stay out of trouble at school, but it would find him at every corner. He was called a monster and a freak for hurting his classmate, and his desk was pushed to the corner of the classroom. Jotaro didn’t mind the isolation. He could see the board and hear the teacher, and nobody bothered him.

Group projects were difficult. None of his classmates wanted to work with him. He had the choice of working alone or trying to get along with the group. He chose the former, further distancing himself from his peers.

One day, Jotaro brought Bubbles to class. It was Show and Tell, with the topic being something that meant to the owner. He had a lot to say about Bubbles, and when the teacher asked for volunteers, Jotaro’s hand shot straight up. He waddled to the front of the classroom and propped Bubbles up on the podium. He cleared his throat.

“Um… I brought in my dolphin toy for Show and Tell. Her name is Bubbles, short for Bubbles Marina Oceana Echo Kujo.” Jotaro said. He began to flap his hands excitedly. “My grandcestors got me her for my birthday! They found her at the aquarium and they told her about me, an’ Bubbles wanted to come home with me.”

“How can a toy want something? Weirdo,” a classmate sneered.

Jotaro’s smile fell. “She… She didn’t like living in the gift shop.”

“Grow up!” Another kid heckled him.

Jotaro frowned and he held Bubbles. “I… I have a lot of other ocean toys. There’s Blue the Beluga, an’ Kira-Way the Orca, an’ Pearl the Squid, but they’re gonna be my little brother or sister’s toys now. Mama said the baby’s gonna hatch in a few weeks.”

“Chicken baby!  _ Bawk-bawk!” _ Someone said mockingly.

“Stop it! They’re not a chicken!” Jotaro cried. “They’re my baby sibling an’ I love them!” Indigo tears welled in his eyes. The class erupted in laughter, and Jotaro left the podium. He went back to his seat and sulked.

“Next time, try not to lose track of your topic,” the teacher said. “I’m being generous by giving you a C.”

Jotaro buried his face in his hands. He wept quietly for the rest of the class, snuggling up with Bubbles as other students showed off their items.

As class ended, the students flooded outside to go home. Jotaro tripped and fell, falling face-first into the mud. The dirty water splashed on Bubbles, staining her body. “No-!” Jotaro cried.

“I guess monsters  _ do  _ cry!” A student laughed. You’re gonna go crying to your Chicken Mama, huh?”

Jotaro tried to rub the stains out of Bubbles’ fabric body as he cried. It was permanent.

“You’re such a baby, Kujo!” Another student said. She reached for the toy, but Jotaro saw red. He snapped at her. His jaws barely missed her fingertips, and the girl squealed.  _ “He bit me!  _ The monster bit me!”

The crowd backed away, and the girl ran up to a group of adults, sobbing. “The monster bit me!” She repeated.

“I didn’t…!” Jotaro cried. “I didn’t…”

Hollie pulled up in the car and approached the school, just as the girl’s father approached Jotaro. The father grabbed Jotaro by the neck. “You fucking maggot! Don’t you dare hurt my daughter ever again!”

Jotaro squealed and struggles in the man’s grip. He scratched at the man with his claws, then remembered his mother’s words to not fight back. His vision blurred and began to grey. He  _ had  _ to fight back. He apologized to his Mama silently, then sunk his teeth into his assailant, just as his mother ran up to them.

“You  _ bastard!”  _ The man bellowed, throwing Jotaro to the ground. Jotaro went limp as he hit the pavement of the black top.

* * *

He woke up in the hospital with his parents beside him. Bubbles sat on his chest, without the stain and with a fresh scent. Hollie must have washed her.

“Mama…?” Jotaro asked. He realized he had a tube up his nose for breathing. He wanted to take it out, but felt too weak to do so.

Hollie’s tired eyes fluttered open. “Oh, my baby…!” Hollie cried, taking her son’s hand. “We thought we lost you!”

Jotaro coughed and shut his eyes, feeling a headache overtake him. “Mama… what happened?”

“You got hurt at school,” Hollie hiccupped. Sadao rubbed her back as she resisted crying.

“Because I bit that guy?” Jotaro asked weakly.

Hollie nodded. “You-you’re going to have to go to a new school, Jotaro,” she said. “You… you can’t bite people, Jotaro.”

“He hurt my throat, Mama,” Jotaro whined. Blue bruises could be seen on his fragile neck. “I had to.”

Hollie looked at her son, then at Sadao. “I don’t know what to do…” Her voice hitched in her chest.

“You shouldn’t hurt people, because the consequences will bite you in the ass,” Sadao said. “You need to control your temper. You have less control than other people your age, Jotaro. You can’t hurt others.”

“He hurt me first!” Jotaro cried.

“Mons- Trolls like you and Mama are going to be hurt a lot,” Sadao said. “People don’t really trust trolls, so any small act of anger will be blown out of proportion. You’ll get hurt.”

“I don’t  _ want _ to get hurt!” Jotaro hissed. He sat up in his bed, baring his fangs at Sadao. The man shrunk in his seat at the sight of his son.

“This is what I mean,” Sadao said slowly. “You can’t- you can’t hiss at people like this. You’re not an animal.”

“It’s a natural reaction,” Hollie said. “Trolls do it all the-”

“He’s also human, Hollie,” Sadao reminded her. He got up and pulled her out of the room. “You can’t keep acting like he’s  _ just _ a troll. That’s just going to enable bad behaviors. Brushing off his issues by saying he’s just a troll isn’t going to improve anything.”

“But he  _ is  _ a troll! There’s studies that show that the troll traits are dominant in hybrids like him!” Hollie argued.

“That still doesn’t make it right to fight other kids!” Sadao said. “He bit an adult, Hollie.”

“In self-defense!”

“The man needed surgery! He severed veins and muscles! He bit down to the bone!” Sadao ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know how we’re going to deal with him once the new baby comes if he’s going to keep this up.”

“We’ll manage,” Hollie said. “I can call my parents and ask if they could stay over for awhile and help.”

“No, no way,” Sadao replied. “Your father- He frightens me.”

“...Okay,” Hollie said. “We’ll figure something out.”

* * *

After the fight, Jotaro began to sulk more and more. He didn’t indulge in the things he liked as much, instead shutting himself in his room to read. His new school was an all-troll school, and he was bullied for being half-human. He couldn’t win.

When the two month period of incubation hit, Hollie went to check on the egg. She opened the door and screeched in horror as she saw the sight of Jotaro’s baseball bat, splattered with indigo blood, next to a caved-in egg. Amniotic slurry dripped onto the tarp.

Hollie’s cries became silent as she clasped her hands over her mouth. She nearly threw herself onto her hands and knees, reaching out shakily for the egg. Sadao ran in the room, with Jotaro not far behind her.

“Oh no,” was all Sadao could mutter. He knelt down next to Hollie, then examined the scene.  _ “Jotaro!” _

The boy ran in and sat down. “Is the- Is the baby here?” He looked at the grub. Its midsection had been squashed by the impact of the baseball bat. “What happened…?”

“What did you do, Jotaro?” Sadao asked. He motioned to the baseball set.

“I-I dunno! I didn’t come in here!” The boy cried.

_ “What the hell did you do?!”  _ Sadao yelled. “Did you break this egg, Jotaro?!”

“I didn’t! I didn’t!” Jotaro cried over and over. He cowered away as he cried. “I didn’t touch it…!”

Hollie screamed in agony, finally regaining her voice. “My baby, my baby…!” She cried. Sadao hugged her, rubbing circles into her back.

“I didn’t do it…” Jotaro hiccupped. “I didn’t, Mama!”

“Go to your room,” Sadao said. Jotaro obliged, shutting himself in his room.

After what felt like an eternity of crying, Hollie scooped up the grub, cradling it in her arms. She gave its head a few licks, then staggered to her feet.

“Hollie?” Sadao asked.

Hollie shakily grabbed the small quilt that her mother had sent over as a gift for the new baby. She wrapped the grub in it, then left the room. She went outside of the house and found her gardening trowel, laid the bundle on the ground, then began to dig.

Sadao didn’t object as Hollie tore up her beautifully maintained garden. She placed the grub in the hole, then covered it with dirt. She made a high-pitched trilling noise in her throat before laying down next to the grave.

“What are you doing? Come inside,” Sadao said. He reached out for his wife, but Hollie snapped at him. He felt the snap of her teeth not even a centimeter away from his fingertips.

Her eyes were slits in a sea of hateful, glaring blue eyes. Her ears, slightly pointed like an elf’s ear, were pointed back like a cat’s, and her lips were pulled back to show him the rows of fangs. Though she had once filed down her teeth, they had fallen out and new ones had grown back a few years after.

“Just like a shark,” Jotaro had said the day he lost his first adult tooth.

Sadao choked out the words “You’re a monster…” before backing away, running into the house.

Hollie slept beside the grave that night. The next morning, she was a mess. Her hair was wild and frizzy, tangled around her horns and her eyes stayed slitted. She made clicking noises in her throat as she passed by Sadao on her way to take a shower. Jotaro hadn’t come out of his bedroom, too afraid to face the wrath of his parents.

After a long shower, Hollie confronted Sadao. She was still nude, dripping with water. His eyes were drawn to her crotch, where terrible stitching lined the area where her bulge once was. Laying two eggs had aggravated the area, causing tears and discoloration.

“Why did you break the egg?” Hollie asked. Her voice was low and calm, chilling Sadao to the bone.

“It wasn’t me.”

“Why would Jotaro break the egg?” She pressed him up against the wall, towering over him.

“He’s been acting out lately,” Sadao said. “Because of transferring schools and the concussion…”

“That egg was the only thing that made him happy lately,” Hollie said. “Why did you break the egg and blame it on our son? Why did you kill our child?”

“It wasn’t me.”

Hollie grabbed Sadao by the throat. “Tell me why you murdered our baby!” She cried. She kept her grip light as she cried, shaking him.

“Let go of me, you psycho bitch!” Sadao yelled. He kicked out at her, hitting his foot against the area where her bulge used to be. She winced and dropped Sadao, then fell to the ground. Sadao gave her another kick, then ran to the kitchen. He grabbed the phone and dialed the police.

The authorities arrived at the Kujo house within minutes, busting in and grabbing Hollie with a control pole, akin to those used to grab feral animals.

“I didn’t touch him!” Hollie screeched. She writhed and swiped at the officers. Jotaro ran out of his bedroom to see the commotion, just as an officer pulled out her taser and zapped Hollie with it. The Alternian woman crumpled to her knees, screeching in pain. The officer holding the control pole pulled Hollie out of the house, throwing her into the back of a police van.

Jotaro ran after them. “Mama! No!” He grabbed onto an officer’s leg. The officer took out his pepper spray and maced the child in the face.  _ “Waaah!”  _ He covered his eyes with his hands, crying, as another officer wrung his neck with another control pole.

“Put this one in the paddy,” an officer said. “I don’t want to risk opening the van.” The officer with the pole complied, shoving Jotaro into the back of one of the police cars.

* * *

The next few hours were a blur. Hollie was given a pair of clothes, taken for a blood test, then pushed through the hallway of holding cells by two guards.

Jotaro’s cellmates were an Alternian woman with rust-flushed cheeks and spiral horns sitting in the corner, a goldblood male with a lanky build and three horns, an olive-blooded female with rippling muscles, twice Jotaro’s size, and two bronze-bloods, dozing off. The cell was far too small for all six of them.

Hollie looked wide-eyed at her son being held captive with five adult strangers. “Don’t you dare touch him!” She cried, hissing at them. She sobbed as she was jabbed by one of her escorting guards.

The olive-blood nodded. “I’m a mother as well. My two boys are at home with my moirail. Been missing them... Your kid is safe with me, ma’am.”

“Thank you, um… I’m Hollie,” she whimpered as she was pushed along.

“Katria,” the olive-blood said.

Jotaro looked up at Katria. “Is Mama going to get hurt?”

The troll sighed and sat down on the ground. “I don’t know, kid.”

“What’s with the pink skin?” The goldblood asked. “You human?”

“I’m guessing half,” the rust-blood said. She snorted and rolled her eyes. “He smells like humans”

“Don’t be a dick, Rubeda,” Katria said.

“My Daddy’s a human,” Jotaro said. “But my Mama’s a monster like you guys.” As soon as the word  _ monster  _ slipped from his lips, all of his cellmates made noises of displeasure. He jumped back in fear, crying.

“Where’d you learn that word, kid?” Katria asked. “Did humans call you that?”

“That’s what Daddy calls Mama, and my old classmates called me,” Jotaro said. “Mama says it’s not right, but Daddy says it anyway.” He sniffled.

“Where is your Daddy?” Katria asked. She pulled Jotaro into her lap and made calming chirrups in her throat.

Jotaro leaned on Katria’s chest and sighed. “He’s at home, I think. Mama got angry at him and then got in trouble. I think he broke the egg.”

Rubeda began to growl softly, and Katria rubbed Jotaro’s back. “Don’t mind her.”

“Humans are bastards,” Rubeda said. Her eyes welled with red tears. “An egg is as alive as a baby!”

“You can always lay another,” Katria said.

“But I wanted this one!” Rubeda hissed. “My matesprit deserved what he got!”

_ “We all lose eggs!”  _ Katria bellowed. The room went silent. “It’s no grounds for murder.”

“The wounds were non-fatal,” Rubeda spat as she rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t murder.”

Jotaro whimpered and cuddled up in Katria’s grip. “Am I going to stay here forever?”

Katria sighed. “It all depends. Probably depends on your father, mostly,” she said.

“What about Mama?” Jotaro asked.

“How badly did your Mama hurt your Daddy?” Katria asked.

“She didn’t hurt him,” Jotaro said. “He hurt her.”

Katria bit her lip and shrugged. “Well… I’d give it a 50/50 chance that she’ll be here for the weekend at the very least. You might have to stay the weekend as well if your father decides to be an asshole.”

“But I wanted to see a movie…!” Jotaro whined. “Mama said we could go!”

“It all depends on if your father wants to press charges or not, kiddo.” Katria rubbed Jotaro’s back. “The courts always believe the humans over the monsters, no matter what the truth is.”

“That’s not fair,” Jotaro said.

“It’s better than Alternia,” Rubeda said. “Being on the run your whole life because the Empress wants you culled.”

“It can always be better,” Katria said.

“But it can also be worse,” Rubeda insisted. “Be grateful.”

“Don’t listen to her,” Katria said to Jotaro. “If you want the world to change, then be that change. It all starts with someone, whether human or Alternian, or both.”

* * *

Hollie’s cell contained a pair of bulky purple bloods with manic eyes and smeared face paint. One was female and the other was male. The female growled and bared her fangs at Hollie. Hollie backed away, putting her hands up. “I mean you no harm, I promise!”

“You were colluding with humans! I can smell it on you,” the female snarled. She raised a clawed hand.

“I-I’m married!” Hollie gasped.

Wrong move. The purple-blood screeched and raked her claws down Hollie’s face. The housewife screamed in blinding pain and covered her left eye with her hands. She vomited on the ground, puking up mostly bile. She hadn’t eaten since the night before. Her throat stung, and her head felt light as she was grabbed by one of the horns.

The guards didn’t intervene as the purple-blood assaulted Hollie. The troll clanged Hollie’s head against the wall and bars as the woman lost consciousness. The highblood yanked on the horn she had grabbed, and snapped it in half. Indigo blood was smeared everywhere in the cell from the assault.

A voice called out through the halls. “Mama?! _ Mama!!” _

The highblood sniffed the air, then growled a response.  _ “Shut the hell up, you brat!” _

* * *

Hollie awoke later in a hospital bed. Her wrists were cuffed, and a guard stood at the door. Her vision seemed off… she tried opening her left eye, but it simply wouldn’t. She closed her remaining eye and rested.

On that Monday, Hollie was brought to trial. Her offense was attacking a human, and Jotaro was on trial with her. She sat in a wheelchair with an eyepatch and a neck brace from the assault in her cell. She rarely spoke, only giving a few words for her responses. Her attorney was a teal-blood with a mountain of evidence proving Hollie and Jotaro to be innocent.

The trial concluded with Hollie and Jotaro being let off their charges, if they agreed to Hollie divorcing Sadao and the two of them never contacting Sadao or being near him ever again. Hollie gladly agreed to the result. The money she received from the divorce was menial, and it all went towards Jotaro’s college fund. However, Joseph and Suuzie learned about their daughter’s divorce, and sent money to her to buy a new house. Three bedrooms, two baths, and an expansive yard for Hollie to do her gardening. It still didn’t take away Hollie’s depression of losing her second child.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rubeda and Katria are two of my troll OCs. :>


	4. The Stardust Crusader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jotaro is flushed for a new boy in his class.

Over the years, Jotaro pushed himself into isolation from his peers, and into his studies. He was persistent in his studies, getting the best grades in the class. The teachers commended Hollie for raising such a smart young man.

When Jotaro hit puberty, he shot up to a monstrous 6’6” with muscles rivaling that of a movie star. He had no idea how he got so strong. Hollie said it was his indigo-blood genes.

Jotaro met his first true friend at lunch one day at school. A new student had enrolled at his high school. A human, surprising nobody. Though Jotaro’s high school accepted Alternian applicants, not many took up the offer. The human had red hair, with a significant chunk of it spiraling into a curl that dangled in front of his face. His school uniform was a deep forest green, probably the standard of his old school, and the way it was cut gave him a rather feminine appearance.

The new student sat next to Jotaro in class due to organizing by last name. Noriaki Kakyoin landed next to Jotaro Jostar. Even if Jotaro kept his father’s surname, Kujo would land beside Kakyoin alphabetically.

Jotaro tried to strike up a conversation with the new student at lunch. “Did you just move here? I-I’m Jotaro, by the way.” He held out his hand.

The redhead shook it hesitantly. “Noriaki. Pleasure to meet you. And uh, no, I’ve lived in this area my whole life,” he replied. His voice had an odd feminine quality to it.

“Well, I hope you enjoy the school.” Jotaro popped a roll of sashimi into his mouth. “Any siblings?”

“Hm?” Noriaki asked as he opened his own lunch.

“Do you have any siblings?”

“Nah, I’m an only child. Just me and my parents,” he said. “What about you?”

“There was an eg- It’s just me and my mom,” Jotaro said, shaking his head. Noriaki didn’t press the issue.

Noriaki tilted his head a bit and scanned Jotaro’s face. “You’re Alternian, aren’t you?”

“Because of the egg?” Jotaro asked.

“Your eyes,” Noriaki said. He put his hand on Jotaro’s cheek, tilting his classmate’s face towards him. “Yellow-orange scleras and slitted pupils are Alternian traits. Also, you’re blushing bright blue.”

“I am?” Jotaro said. He watched as Noriaki laughed, making his violet eyes twinkle. “I get nervous talking to people.”

“So do I. Don’t worry,” Noriaki replied. They talked for awhile. Jotaro learned of Noriaki’s love of video games and art, and Noriaki listened patiently as Jotaro talked about the ocean. After awhile, the bell rung, signaling the end of the period. “Hey, can I meet up with you after school? By the staircase outside, alright?”

“That sounds great,” Jotaro said. “I’ll see you at 3:30?”

“3:30,” Noriaki repeated in confirmation.

Jotaro met Noriaki at 3:48. He jogged over, finding the redhead sitting at an art easel. Noriaki stood up and waved to Jotaro.

“Hey! I got a bit bored,” Noriaki said. “I broke out my paints.”

“You just carry that shit around?” Jotaro asked. He sat next to Noriaki and looked at the canvas. A landscape painting was in progress. “How long have you been working on this?!”

“My last period is art, actually. I asked you to meet me here because we came out here to paint,” Noriaki explained. He continued his painting. “By the way, if I don’t make eye contact with you, it’s not an issue with you. I just- it feels so awkward looking people in the eyes.”

“I know that feeling,” Jotaro replied. He blushed as he watched Noriaki paint. “You’re really good. I like the… the everything.”

Noriaki snickered and leaned his head on Jotaro’s shoulder. “Thanks.” He put his paints away. “Art room closes at 4. I should get this inside before it closes. Can you help me with the easel?”

“Yeah, of course,” Jotaro replied. They disassembled the easel and brought it inside. The art room had a group of students talking together, and sneered at them.

“Of course Tenmei hangs out with  _ it.”  _ A girl muttered.

“I heard that his mom attacked his dad,” Another said.

Jotaro tilted his hat over his eyes. “Good grief…”

They left the art room as the group of students continued to gossip about them. Jotaro’s eyes danced across Noriaki’s figure as they walked out of the school. The way Noriaki walked had a sort of purposeful saunter to it, an air of confidence as he puffed out his chest ever so slightly. Jotaro put his hand on the small of Noriaki’s back.

“Huh?” Noriaki asked, looking up at Jotaro.

Jotaro pulled his hand away, then tilted his hat over his eyes. “Nothing.” He coughed. “Hey, erm… are you doing anything now?”

“I don’t do anything after school besides video games,” Noriaki admitted. He laughed sheepishly.

“Would you like to come over to my house for dinner? I have a few games as well,” Jotaro said. Noriaki nodded. The two of them left for the Jostar household.

Over the years since the divorce, Hollie Jostar began to decay in appearance. The highblood attack suffered at the jail resulted in a cut across her left eye. It was sealed shut with stitches. Her lower lip had a few gashes on it as well, going unhealed for ages due to how much Hollie bit at it. Her right horn was broken in half from the same attack. Other scars riddled her body. Noriaki jumped back in surprise when he saw the wounded troll hanging sheets on the clothesline.

“Don’t stare,” Jotaro hissed.

Noriaki nodded, and approached the house with Jotaro. “Hello?”

“Oh, Jojo, who’s this?” Hollie asked, setting down her clothespins. She held out her hand to the guest. “You can call me Hollie, or Ms Jostar, whichever you’re most comfortable with.”

“How about we split the difference and I’ll call you Ms Hollie?” Noriaki joked. Jotaro beamed at his newfound friend’s light sense of humor, especially in the face of an indigo-blooded troll. “I’m Noriaki Kakyoin. I’m in one of your son’s classes.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Noriaki. I’m assuming you’re staying for dinner, no?” Hollie asked. She glanced at her son. “You two can order some pizza if you’d like, as long as there’s no meat on at least a quarter. I want a slice.” She giggled, holding her fisted hands to her chest.

“Yes!” Jotaro punched the air and lead Noriaki inside.

“You get a lot of guests?” Noriaki asked. “Big house.”

“Mom wanted a big place in case her parents come to visit,” Jotaro said. “But there’s usually a travel ban on Alternians whenever the holidays roll around.”

“A travel ban?” Noriaki asked.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t heard reports on the news about trolls who freak out on planes,” Jotaro said. “Every time there’s even a  _ hint  _ of upset, there’s a temporary ban of trolls on airplanes.”

“That must suck,” Noriaki said. He followed Jotaro to his bedroom. The room was decorated with ocean memorabilia - nautical maps, prints of different sea creatures, and plushies, figurines, and models of ships and creatures hung on the walls and dotted the shelves. Some posters of Western movies hung on the bedroom door. A decent-sized TV sat on a TV stand littered with DVDs and game discs, with a gaming console hooked up to it. Bubbles Marina Oceana Echo Jostar Jr, who had undergone a change of last name years ago, sat on Jotaro’s pillow. Noriaki sat on Jotaro’s bed and stroked Bubbles’ fin. “Your room is awesome. How’d you get so much stuff?”

“My family… they sorta spoiled me after the divorce,” Jotaro admitted. He turned on the TV and looked through his game collection. “And my Aunt Sayuri still likes me.”

“What about your dad? Do you have a room like this at his place?” Noriaki asked as he looked through Jotaro’s games. He popped in a port of Tetris, wanting something repetitive yet stimulating.

“Last time I saw my dad in person was during the court trial for ownership of my parents’ stuff,” Jotaro said. “Last time on TV was a news report of his latest concert.”

“He’s a musician?”

“Jazz musician, yeah. He’s quite famous. Sadao Kujo.”

“My parents listen to his stuff,” Noriaki said. “To be quite honest, I don’t think he’s that good. He’s got no sense of proper timing and rhythm. Everything sounds a bit off.”

Jotaro smirked. “Yeah, yeah I guess so,” he replied. “What do your parents do for a living?”

“My mother is the manager of an office supply store and my father is a contractor,” Noriaki said. “Neither of them like how I want to go into the arts.”

“That must suck,” Jotaro said. “If you’re ever interested in the literary arts, my mom’s a part-time author. She also does floral arrangements at this one florist shop.”

“Really? I wouldn’t expect a troll to be into that stuff,” Noriaki said.

“That’s why she has to be in the back rooms. The humans who hired her are nice, but the customers are afraid of her, especially with the missing eye,” Jotaro said. “She says it’s fulfilling work nonetheless.”

They chatted for an hour before ordering the pizza. While eating, storm clouds rolled in, and once Jotaro took the trash out, thunder and lightning crashed down. Hollie turned on the news to see a thunderstorm and flood warning that would go on through the night and well into the next day. School was canceled.

“Stay off the roads,” the newscaster said. “High winds, low visibility, and fierce rain can drive you off of the road.”

“You can stay here for the night,” Hollie said to Noriaki. “I’ll call your parents. I’m sure Jotaro wouldn’t mind letting you borrow some pajamas.”

“I really don’t want to impose,” Noriaki said.

“Nonsense! You can’t get home in this weather. You can sleep in the guest room, or I can pull out the air mattress and you and Jotaro can have a little sleepover in his room!” Hollie suggested. “What works best?”

“Sleepover sounds fun,” Noriaki grinned. He looked up at Jotaro, who nodded and blushed. Hollie left the room to get the air mattress while Jotaro dug around for some spare pajamas.

“What size are you? I only have XLs,” Jotaro said. “Might be a large somewhere…”

“I guess I can wear it like a nightgown. I teeter between small and medium,” Noriaki laughed. “Your mom is really sweet to let me stay here with you guys for the night, you know? I wouldn’t expect…”

“What, you wouldn’t expect a troll to be hospitable?” Jotaro asked, tossing Noriaki a t-shirt with a cartoon yellow duck on it. It was an XL, and fairly new. Why he had the shirt was a mystery. It was just something he owned.

“I wouldn’t expect someone who just met me to be like, hey come over and have pizza and sleep over,” Noriaki said. He approached the bedroom door, then stopped himself. “I need to tell you a secret if we’re going to be sleeping in the same room. And you might hate me for it.”

Jotaro raised an eyebrow. “Couldn’t be any worse than my secrets. I can go first if you’d like.”

“That’d be nice.”

“Well, I’ve been to jail before. It was for a weekend when I was about seven or eight. Cops overreacted when they came over to my house. Arrested me and my mom. It’s on my record now,” Jotaro said. “I’m not actually sure if I was charged of a crime, but I was in a cell with four adults.”

“That cannot be legal,” Noriaki said.

“Humans see the horns and then see us as monsters,” Jotaro said. “Alright, your turn.”

Noriaki took a deep breath. “I was born a woman. I have breasts, and a vagina, and I strap my breasts down during the day and stuff this little fake dick in my pants. So, don’t be surprised when you see me after I get changed.”

“Why would I hate you for that?” Jotaro asked.

“Because everyone else does?”

Jotaro shrugged. “You know with trolls, we sort of have both sets of genitals. Though, they’re kind of leftover appendages. I can’t carry eggs or anything, but I do have the hole.”

“I remember reading about that in Alternian Physiology. I… I took it as an elective science because it sounded cool,” Noriaki admitted. His smile was bright and genuine.

Jotaro felt his heart - or pump biscuit, as his mother called it - rabbit in his chest at the sight of Noriaki’s smile. He had never had a crush on anyone before. He watched as Noriaki left the room and his mother came in with the air mattress. He helped Hollie fill it and fit the bed with sheets.

“You boys best be getting to bed by midnight, alright? Or at least have lights out by then,” Hollie said. She gave her son a hug, trilling in her throat. “I’m so proud of you, making a friend.”

“Mom, I think- I think I like him. Like, flushed,” Jotaro said. “What do I do?”

Hollie’s working eye welled with tears. She clapped her hands on her son’s cheeks. “Be yourself, honey.” She left the room just as Noriaki returned.

Jotaro saw a hint of plaid-patterned boxers under the giant shirt Noriaki wore. Though loose, he also saw Noriaki’s decent-sized breasts under the shirt as well. The deep blue of the shirt hid his nipples. Jotaro felt his lower belly fill with heat, and he looked away. He himself wore pajama pants and a tank top.

Noriaki crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “Hey.”

“Hey…” Jotaro said. He sat down on the air mattress and turned the television on. “Video games?”

“Yup.” He sat down next to Jotaro and grabbed a controller. They began to play a fighting game. With each win, he felt Jotaro scoot closer, until Jotaro’s arm brushed against Noriaki’s. “Something wrong?”

“I just- I feel so complicated right now,” he mumbled. He looked over at Noriaki.

“You like me,” Noriaki said.

“Wha-?!”

Noriaki reached out and rubbed Jotaro’s side, feeling a few bumps. “Your grub scars are inflated. Doesn’t that mean you’re at least interested in me?”

Jotaro made a growling noise in his throat and pounced on Noriaki, pinning him to the mattress. His slitted eyes filled out to large pupils. His throat vibrated as he purred.

“Oh fuck that’s hot,” Noriaki said. He wrapped his legs around Jotaro’s torso.

Two lonely souls found themselves entangled in each other as they began to kiss one another. Both were bothered, confused teenagers, and one of them was emitting arousing pheromones. It wasn’t a surprise that they ended up making out and rutting against each other.

Noriaki nipped at Jotaro’s ear and danced his fingertips along the base of Jotaro’s horns.

Jotaro hissed and moaned “Oh  _ fuck!” _

_ “You two better not be doing what I think you’re doing!”  _ Hollie yelled.

Both boys froze for a moment, before Jotaro responded “Uh… we were… we were kissing, Mom.” Noriaki laughed. Jotaro rolled beside Noriaki and laid a hand on the other’s stomach. “I guess this is what it means to be flushed at first sight.”

* * *

Jotaro and Noriaki began dating afterwards. They went over to Jotaro’s house almost every night for dinner, and half of the time, Noriaki would stay over.

They lost their virginity to each other. Two months passed. Jotaro met Noriaki’s parents, who were skeptical of their child dating a half-troll, but soon Jotaro won them over, somehow. They liked Hollie as well. The Kakyoins weren’t opposed to trolls at any point, though they  _ were  _ a tad skeptical. “Reasonably so,” Hollie had said. “Especially due to my scars.”

“That was something that made me concerned,” Hanako, Noriaki’s mother, confessed.

Jotaro learned why some people called Noriaki by the name of Tenmei. It was his birth name, or dead name, as Nori called it. (He loved being called Nori. Jotaro was happy to see his boyfriend smile.) Most of the classmates that knew Noriaki from his former school still referred to him as a girl. Jotaro saw the pain on Noriaki’s face whenever it happened.

“God, Tenmei is such a freak. No wonder she got with a half-breed monster,” some girl whispered to her boyfriend. As Jotaro and Noriaki walked past them, the girl cowered behind her boyfriend, who puffed his chest out at the couple.

“Need something?” Jotaro asked, putting himself between the couple and his boyfriend.

“You tryin’a touch my girl, greyskin? Get anywhere near her and I’ll kick your ass!” The boyfriend growled.

Jotaro rolled his eyes. He didn’t even have gray skin. “I’m not trying to steal your girlfriend. She’s not a pleasant person.”

“You sayin’ she’s a bitch?! Fuck you! You’re a coward, greyskin! You and your tranny girlfriend!”

Jotaro’s eyes filled with rage, and he threw a punch at the guy. They started tussling, punching and kicking at each other.

The fight was over soon after when a security guard came by. Jotaro went limp and refused to continue fighting. His opponent, however, kept attacking.

* * *

 

The two were dragged off to juvie.

Jotaro sulked in his cell as people were questioned. Due to the provocation of the other couple and how the opponent continued punching Jotaro, Jotaro was found innocent.

“Go home now, kid,” the guard said. “Go on, get.”

“I’m not moving,” Jotaro mumbled. “I’m a danger.”

Hollie stood outside of the cell. “Jotaro, dearie, please come home!” Her cheeks lacked the ever-present indigo tint to it.

“I’m just going to hurt other people!” He bellowed. His voice filled the halls. “This damn monster blood in me, it just causes me to fight!”

“That’s not true!” Hollie cried. She grabbed the bars and coughed before continuing to speak. “You’re the sweetest! You’d never hurt an innocent person!”

“I hurt my father. That’s why we no longer see him,” Jotaro growled. “I’m not coming out of this cage. I’ll just hurt you if I do. Trolls are violent. I should be locked away.”

“You’re not making any sense…!” Hollie cried. “You’re not a monster! You’re not violent!”

_ “I killed my sibling!” _

The room was silent as Jotaro choked back a sob. “I killed my sibling. I d-don’t remember doing it, but I know I did. Going into a blind haze… I don’t want to hurt you like that. I can’t be trusted, Mom.”

* * *

Hollie waited at the airport. She had called her father, knowing he would have some information on how to set her son straight. He could teach Jotaro that trolls aren’t violent by nature. Everyone is different and he could be trusted out of the cell. She looked around and saw the star-shaped horns of her father. “Papa!” She coughed into her arm before outstretching her arms for a hug.

“Hollie!” Joseph called. He ran up to her with a smile that turned to horror.  _ “What the hell?!” _ He growled and rushed towards her. A few guards gathered as Joseph crashed into his daughter.

He scooped her up in a hug, purring and crying. He set her down and put his hand on her cheek, stroking her scar and lost eye with his thumb. “I should never have let you marry that man,” he muttered. “Look at what he did to my baby…”

He introduced her to the guests he had mentioned over the phone. “This is Uhamed Avvdol. He’s a psionic goldblood, and a fortune-teller. If there ever was a troll wholly dedicated to pacifism, he would be it.” He motioned to a troll wearing dusty brown and maroon red robes. His four cylindrical horns hid in a forest of tight coily curls atop his head, and his eyes were that of 3D glasses - one red, one blue.

“A pleasure to meet you, Hollie,” Avvdol said.

Joseph motioned to the other guest. “And Avvdol’s matesprit, Jean Pierre Polnareff.” A human with silver hair, carrying a small dog and wearing sunglasses, approached. “They… they wanted a vacation.”

“And this is Iggy!” Polnareff laughed, showing her the dog. “Iggy, say hi!”

The Boston Terrier snorted. Hollie broke a smile.

“Aww, he’s so cute,” Hollie said, petting the dog behind the ear. “You should’ve said you were bringing a dog, though.”

“We found him at the airport in New York,” Avvdol admitted. “Jean couldn’t help himself.”

“He’s my baby now,” Polnareff cooed. He rocked the dog back and forth.

They went straight from the airport to the jail, accompanied by Noriaki as well. Avvdol said it would be beneficial for Jotaro to have his matesprit there. Polnareff stayed in the car with Iggy. Joseph was excited to see his grandgrub, and yet fearful of what damage Sadao had done.

Jotaro sulked in the corner, biting at loose skin around his cuticles. He looked up to see his mother, his matesprit, and two unfamiliar trolls.

“Son, why do you wish to imprison yourself?” The one with four horns asked.

“Why do you care?” Jotaro growled.

“Your grandfather said you might listen to me.”

“Grandfather?” Jotaro looked up at the indigo-blood.

“It’s nice to meet you, Jotaro,” Joseph said. “This is Avvdol. He’s a troll, just like you and me, but he can control his temper. Goldbloods like him are feisty, yet he’s calm.”

“Except when playing cards,” Avvdol laughed. “It’s okay to be afraid of your feelings. Not all trolls are violent. Just like how not all humans hate us.”

Noriaki edged closer, forcing a smile. He was wrapped up in an indigo scarf that Jotaro had made for him. He knew it was customary for trolls to give their matesprits an article of clothing of their blood color. He felt honored when Jotaro gave him the gift. He put his hand on a bar. “You’re filled with kindness, Jotaro. I know it. Just come home.”

Jotaro’s eyes darted between everyone. “I killed my brother. I’m a monster.”

“It wasn’t you. It was your father. He admitted it, Jotaro,” Hollie said.

“If It wasn’t me, then why did he say it was?!

_ “Because your father is a bastard!”  _ Hollie cried. Indigo tears rolled down her cheeks, and her crying stung her already sensitive throat. “You didn’t do anything, Jotaro! It wasn’t your fault!”

“Your father was a terrible person,” Joseph added. “Even before you hatched, he was controlling of your mother.”

“You barely knew him,” Hollie argued.

“His refusal to eat Suuzie’s cooking is enough to know he’s a terrible person,” Joseph replied.

“That was, like, twenty years ago! How do you remember that?”

“Between that Thanksgiving and your wedding, those two are the last times I’ve seen you in person, Hollie.” He turned back to Jotaro in the cell. “Come out of the cell, Jotaro. I’d like to meet my grandgrub.”

* * *

The family went back to the Jostar household after Jotaro left the cell. Hollie, Jotaro, and Noriaki got to know Avvdol and Polnareff as they all had dinner together.

“We met in Hong Kong,” Polnareff said. “I was on vacation with my sister and he was, what was it, doing some sort of magic gig?”

“I had to give a presentation of my psionics,” Avvdol said. “I was working with the Speedwagon Foundation, which is how I met Mr Jostar.”

After dessert, everyone went to bed. Noriaki ended up staying over at the house as usual, cuddling up next to Jotaro. “I love you,” Noriaki said, stroking Jotaro’s chest.

“Likewise.” Though Jotaro’s tone lacked any emotion, the subsequent chirping sound in his throat made Noriaki aware of his affection.

* * *

The next morning, Avvdol was the first to awaken. Polnareff thought to himself that his partner was like a rooster, waking at the early morning rays of dawn. That day, however, he woke up at around 9, tired from the long flight. He splashed water on his face in the bathroom, then jumped as he heard the sound of crashing items. He ran out of the room and to the kitchen, where the source of the sound was.

Hollie Jostar lay on the floor, coughing and sputtering. Avvdol dipped down and propped her back up, holding her closely. “Ms Jostar!” The coughing stopped, as well as her breath.

* * *

 

“It’s called Sagittarian Lung Fever,” the doctor concluded. Joseph had called some Speedwagon Foundation doctors to check up on Hollie. He didn’t trust the human-run hospital. “It’s an Alternian-only condition. It’s not contagious, don’t worry, but it’s also rather rare even on Alternia and Beforus.”

Hollie lay on her bed, hooked up to a breathing machine and an IV drip, unconscious. Joseph sat in a chair across from the doctor, with Avvdol and Polnareff standing nearby. Jotaro and Noriaki stood at the door. Iggy was curled up next to Hollie on the bed, whimpering.

“What will we do?” Joseph asked. He held his daughter’s hand, cut up and scarred from years of mistreatment.

“Well, the Foundation research center here in Japan doesn’t have the proper resources to cure the fever. However, there  _ is  _ one such place that specializes in highblood medicine. There’s a facility in Cairo, Egypt that’s reported to have a cure in the works. You’d have to go there to get it. They require you to sign off the papers in person to distribute the medicine. We can’t send anyone to go there because a troll has to sign off on them. They don’t trust humans. Besides, it’s a medicine only for your kind, and there’s some legal things with buying medicine for someone outside of one’s family.”

Joseph sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Though he respected the law, he thought the law was stupid. “Then let’s go,” Joseph said.

The next few hours were of him and Avvdol collaborating on how to get to Cairo. “There’s another travel ban,” Avvdol said as he looked at his computer. “Someone mistook an artificial limb as a weapon and now there’s a hold on all Alternians on flights.”

“We’ll go by boat,” Joseph determined. “I just hope Jotaro is alright staying here with his mother.”

“What makes you think I’m not coming with?” Jotaro asked. He stood in the doorway. “I want my mother to get better. I’ll fight for her. I’m coming with.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College is kicking my ass. Chapter 5 isn't even done. I like to write a chapter and then publish the one that I wrote before it so that there's a backlog, but I've been working on other stuff first, sorry.


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